Stephen Curry is one of the best superstars in the league, and he is an absolute offensive powerhouse. He has torched even the best of defenses and there’s no doubt that he is unstoppable when he’s on. Currently, he is averaging 34.3 PPG in the Finals.
Celtics guard Marcus Smart has recently opened up on what makes Stephen Curry a difficult cover. He pointed out that everyone knows how proficient Stephen Curry is from the 3PT range as well as lauding his off-ball game. Smart also claimed that due to Curry’s off-ball game, the defender “can’t take a break” at all when guarding him.
"We all know what he can do outside of 20 feet… 30-35, 40 feet. The dude is special in that regard."
Marcus Smart on Steph Curry's impact on the floor. pic.twitter.com/FgHOIWpW1a
— NBA (@NBA) June 12, 2022
“We all know what he can do outside of 20 feet, 30 to 35, 40 feet. The dude is special in that regard. The way that he’s able to affect the game, being able to run around and play off the ball and get himself open. It’s just tough on a defender because you can’t take a break. The instance that you think he’s not doing anything, the play’s over for him, and that’s when you get beaten, that’s when you get burnt. That’s when that mentality comes in that you gotta stay ready, you can’t give up. You gotta keep going.”
“So, for him, he can affect the game at all levels — passing, playmaking, shooting the ball, scoring the ball. So, he got the whole package and you have to be able to guard every last thing he has, and not many players can do that”
The Boston Celtics will definitely have to figure out a way to slow Stephen Curry down in these Finals. They have been doing a good job on the other offensive players on the Warriors, but it’s clear that has come at the cost of allowing Stephen Curry to score himself. The Celtics will also need to do better offensively themselves, and Ime Udoka notably claimed that they’d be up 3-1 if they played offense “the right way”.
Game 4 was a disappointing loss for the Boston Celtics, and hopefully, they are able to bounce back. We’ll see if they are able to win on the road, and Marcus Smart’s defense on Stephen Curry will need to be top-tier if that is to happen.
